20. Davidoff Royal Release Salomones
Davidoff
- Country of Origin: Dominican Republic
- Factory: Cigars Davidoff
- Wrapper: Dominican Aromatica
- Binder: n/a
- Filler: n/a
- Size: 8 1/4 x 57
- MSRP: $100 (Boxes of 10, $1,000)
- Release Date: October 2016
- Number of Cigars Released: 500 Boxes of 10 (5,000 Total Cigars)
- Original Score: 91
When a company releases a $100 cigar, it had better be a good cigar, and the Davidoff Royal Release did not disappoint.
Composed of two different vitolas—a 5 1/2 x 55 Robusto and an 8 1/4 x 57 Salomones—the Royal Release cigars are packaged in 10-count lacquer boxes with a royal blue color scheme and carry an MSRP of $80 and $100 each respectively. While the name and sizes are similar to earlier releases named Royal Robusto and Royal Salomones that were covered in an Ecuadorian leaf, the new cigars incorporate a completely different blend including an exclusive Aromatica Dominicana wrapper that has been aged for a minimum of eight years.
While I have had issues in the past with a number of Davidoff’s cigars tasting like mushrooms, the Royal Release Salomones was bursting with flavors of rich oak, pralines, espresso beans, almonds, tea leaves and raisin sweetness.
I am usually not a fan of three-hour cigars—especially those that cost almost 55 cents per minute to smoke—but the Davidoff Royal Release is a rare exception to that rule. — Brooks Whittington.